Brake calipers are commonly used on many automotives as part of the braking assemblies for the vehicle. Typically, the brake calipers are used to hold and compress a pair of opposing brake pads against the wheel rotor to slow and/or stop the wheel rotor. This slows and/or stops the wheel of the vehicle. In order to ensure equal wear on the opposed brake pads and to ensure safe braking, the same amount of pressure must be applied to each brake pad when compressing the brake pads against the wheel rotor.
A typical brake caliper operates similarly to a "C" clamp. The brake caliper compresses the opposed brake pads by extending a hydraulic cylinder positioned on one side of the wheel rotor to push one of the brake pads against the wheel rotor, while simultaneously causing the brake caliper to move transverse to the wheel rotor and pull the opposed brake pad against the wheel rotor. The brake caliper must be attached to the chassis of the automotive in such a fashion so that the brake caliper can move transverse to the wheel rotor to apply equal force to the opposed brake pads.
If the brake caliper does not move or has restricted movement, only one of the brake pads will make contact with the wheel rotor and/or one of the brake pads will be pressed against the wheel rotor with more force. If only one brake pad makes contact, only one pad will provide braking. The braking potential of the automotive will not be fully utilized, and the brake pads will wear unevenly. Accordingly, vehicles having brake calipers utilize some form of slider assembly to attach the caliper to the chassis of the automotive to facilitate the transverse movement of the brake caliper so that both brake pads contact the wheel rotor with the same amount of force.
On certain model automobiles, the brake caliper has at least one aperture and is attached to the chassis with a slide pin. This slide pin allows for the transverse movement of the caliper. However, in many instances, the slide pin is inadequate since it is prone to sticking, binding, and/or locking up during operation of the vehicle, thereby inhibiting and/or preventing the transverse movement of the brake caliper. Uneven and/or premature brake pad wear can result from an ineffective or defective slider assembly, thereby leading to reduced braking potential, premature, uneven brake pad wear, and/or brake failure.
Accordingly, there is a need for a slider assembly for a brake caliper having at least one caliper aperture, which provides easy and reliable transverse movement of the brake caliper for an extended period of time.